Oscillating machine for shrinking and finishing woven textile fabrics

ABSTRACT

This invention is directed to a machine for compressively longitudinally shrinking a continuously advancing woven textile web and simultaneously ironing one face thereof and includes an endless rubber belt carried on a pair of parallel rolls (one of which is driven) and an idler roll parallel thereto. An oscillatory arcuate segment is interposed between the rolls and displaces the belt toward the idler roll. Preferably, the segment, which may be heated, is oscillated through a small amplitude more rapidly in the machine direction than in the opposite direction.

United States Patent I l I 1 I 1 Paul N. Wlnberg Hempstead, N.Y.

Mar. 3, 1969 Aug. 3, 1971 Cluett, Peabody 8: Co., Inc. Troy, N.Y.

Inventor App]. No. Filed Patented Assignee OSCILLA'IING MACHINE FOR SHRINKING AND FINISHING WOVEN TEXTILE FABRICS 12 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 26/l8.6, 38/45. 162/361 Int. Cl D06c 21/00 Field of Search 26/18.6; 38/46, 45; 162/361 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 67,644 8/1867 Gilbert et a1 38/46 (X) 7/1882 Yerbury 38/46 (X) 2,021,975 11/1935 Wrigley et al 26/18.6

. 2,721,370 10/1955 Cluett et a1. 26/18.6 3,131,118 4/1964 "Dabroskietal... 26/l8.6(X)

3,277,552 lO/l966 Pandell 26/l8.6 3,469,292 9/1969 l'lojyo 26/18.6 (X) FOREIGN PATENTS 973,760 9/1950 France 38/46 453,187 9/1936 Great Britain.... 26/18.6

Primary Examiner- Robert R. Mackey Allorneys- Leo Fomero and Robert J. Dockery ABSTRACT: This invention is directed to a machine for compressively longitudinally shrinking a continuously advancing woven (8111116 web and simultaneously ironing one face thereof and includes an endless rubber belt carried on a pair of parallel rolls (one of which is driven) and an idler roll parallel thereto. An oscillatory arcuate segment is interposed between the rolls and displaces the belt toward the idler roll. Preferably, the segment, which may be heated, is oscillated through a small amplitude more rapidly in the machine direction than in the opposite direction.

COMPRESSIVE SHRIMGNG MACHINE PATENTEU AUG 3:97: 3. 596, 332

COP PRESS IVE SHRINKING MACHINE FIG. 2

OSCILLATING MACHINE roIi SIIITINKING AND FINISHING WOVEN TEXTILE FABRICS INVENTION This invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in shrinking and finishing woven textile fabrics and particularly seeks to provide a novel machine for effecting the compressive shrinking and one-side ironing of a continuously advancing fabric web through the use of an oscillating cylinder segment positioned against the upper flight of a continuously driven endless rubber belt.

The compressive shrinking and surface finishing of woven textile fabrics has become highly developed both as to methods and apparatus for effecting same. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,861,423, 1,861,424, 2,005,517, 2,021,975, 2,078,529, 2,146,694, 2,721,370 and 2,885,763 contain disclosures representative of such developments. One feature common to all of these prior disclosures is that the fabric web, whether being compressively shrunk or surface treated, is passed through at least one compressive shrinking unit at some stage during which the fabric is acted upon by a progressively distorted felt or rubber belt running in juxtaposition to a rotary heated drum.

It has now been discovered that certain types of fabrics may be compressively shrunk satisfactorily and rectilinearly ironed simultaneously on one side, to provide a smoother finish and better hand, by employing a heated oscillating element in place of the rotary heated drums heretofore used. Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an oscillating machine for compressively shrinking and finishing woven textile fabrics.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated that includes a driven endless rubber belt having its upper fiight downwardly displaced by a smoothfaced generally semicylindrical oscillating heated segment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the amplitude of oscillation of the segment is relatively small and at a moderate frequency that is determined primarily by the physical characteristics of the fabric being operated upon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which oscillation of the segment is effected by a quick-retum mechanism so that oscillation in the machine direction is relatively fast while that in the return direction is relatively slow.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated that is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

DRAWING With these and other objects, the nature of which will be apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawing, the accompanying detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation of one form of fabric processing apparatus including a compressive shrinking machine constructed in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the compressive shrinking machine portion thereof. 1

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing in detail the invention, as'illustrated, is embodied in fabric treating apparatus in which a continuously advancing fabric webA first may be subjected to a water spray or other pretreatment by a device, schematically indicated at 5, then passed through the compressive shrinking machine of this invention generally indicated at'6, and then through a dryer generally indicated at 7 after which it is generally plaited or zigzag folded into a delivery cart.

The compressive shrinking machine 6 includes an endless rubber belt 8 carried by a driven nip roll 9, an idler roll 10 and a lower idler roll 11. The portion of the belt 9 that is intermediate the rolls 9 and 10 is displaced downwardly in a uniform are by a generally semicylindrical segment 12 that extends across the full width of the belt 8 and may be heated by steam or other suitable means (not shown). The segment 12 is mounted on a rock shaft 13 and is provided with an upwardly directed vertical arm 14 having a pair of roller cam followers 15,15 rotatably mounted on its upper end. A set of mated driven cams l6 and 17, that are 180 out of phase with each other, respectively engage the roller cam followers 15 to impart an oscillating motion of small amplitude to the segment 12. Typically, the amplitude of oscillation would be on the order of 2, the frequency of oscillation would be on the order of 300-400 cycles per minute and the linear speed would be on the order of yards per minute, but could vary from as low as 15 y.p.m. to speeds greater than 125 y.p.m. The cams 16 and 17 are contoured in such a manner that the forward oscillation of the segment (machine direction) is relatively fast while the return oscillation is relatively slow so that the relative velocities between the fabric and the segment are equal in both directions.

In operation the belt 8 functions as in the prior known compressive shrinking machines to effect the compressive shrinking of the fabric as it is moved across the arcuate face of the segment 12, while the oscillation of the segment during passage of the fabric effectively irons the contacting face of the fabric to smooth same, add luster thereto and improve the hand of the fabric. The machine shrinkage obtained is generally on the order of 5-8 percent, but may be somewhat lesser or greater depending on the physical characteristics of the fabric being run and the nature of any pretreatment to whichthe fabric has been subjected.

It also should be noted that less heat is required in the segment 12 to produce a given amount of shrinkage than would be required for prior known types of compressive shrinkage machines.

I claim:

1. In a machine for compressively longitudinally shrinking a continuously advancing woven textile web, a pair of rolls, one of said pair of rolls being a driven nip roll and said pair of rolls arranged in substantially horizontal spaced parallel relationship, an idler roll offset from said pair of rolls in parallelism therewith, an endless belt comprising a contractable support for the web and carried on said pair of rolls and idler roll, an oscillatable member disposed between said pair of rolls and provided with an arcuate face adapted to displace in the direction of said idler roll that portion of said belt extending between said pair of rolls, means for oscillating said oscillatable .member in the machine direction and the reverse direction, said oscillating means causing greater speed of oscillation of said oscillatable member in the machine direction than in the reverse direction and means for continuously driving said belt, whereby contraction of the belt which occurs due to the change of curvature of the belt in the nip formed between said nip roll and said segment causes a generally corresponding shortening of the woven web.

2. The machine of claim 1 in which said oscillating means is a quick-return mechanism that oscillates said' oscillatable member more rapidly in the machinedirection than in the reverse direction.

3. The machine of claim 1 in which the amplitude of oscillation of said oscillatable member is on the order of 2 and the frequency of oscillation thereof is on the order of 300-400 cycles per minute.

4. The machine of claim '3 in which'the linear speed of said belt is variable between about 15 and yards per minute.

5. The machine of claim 1 in which the linear speed of said belt is variable between about 15 and 150 yards per minute.

6. The machine of claim 1 in which the arcuate face of said oscillatable member is smooth and in which said endless belt is rubber.

1. The machine of claim 1 in'which said os cillatable member is a segment of a cylinder.

8L 'lhe' machine of claim 7 in which the: arcnate face of said is a quick-return mechanism that oscillates said oscillatable member more rapidly in the machine direction than in the v heated member.

'revera'edirection. I

11. The machine of claim 10 in which the amplitude of oscillationbf said oscillatable member is on the order of 2 and the freqtiency of oscillatien thereof is on the order of 300---400 cycle per minute.

12. The machine of claim 11 wherein said oscillatable is a 

2. The machine of claim 1 in which said oscillating means is a quick-return mechanism that oscillates said oscillatable member more rapidly in the machine direction than in the reverse direction.
 3. The machine of claim 1 in which the amplitude of oscillation of said oscillatable member is on the order of 2* and the frequency of oscillation thereof is on the order of 300-400 cycles per minute.
 4. The machine of claim 3 in which the linear speed of said belt is variable between about 15 and 150 yards per minute.
 5. The machine of claim 1 in which the linear speed of said belt is variable between about 15 and 150 yards per minute.
 6. The machine of claim 1 in which the arcuate face of said oscillatable member is smooth and in which said endless belt is rubber.
 7. The machine of claim 1 in which said oscillatable member is a segment of a cylinder.
 8. The machine of claim 7 in which the arcuate face of said oscillatable member is smooth.
 9. The machine of claim 7 wherein said oscillatable member is a heated member.
 10. The machine of claim 7 in which said oscillating means is a quick-return mechanism that oscillates said oscillatable member more rapidly in the machine direction than in the reverse direction.
 11. The machine of claim 10 in which the amplitude of oscillation of said oscillatable member is on the order of 2* and the frequency of oscillation thereof is on the order of 300-400 cycle per minute.
 12. The machine of claim 11 wherein said oscillatable is a heated member. 